You may recollect a dispute which took place in the year 1784 betwixt John Nicholson the Comptroller General and myself, respecting my accounts as an officer of the (undecipherable) that same affair will shortly come before a jury, which I have long wished for - and I want to be prepared with proof, that officers have been promoted while they were in captivity, and have drawn pay accordingly, and also, that officers who were arranged while in captivity had drawn a years pay allowed by Congress as a gratuity to.

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Officers who were thus arranged - from the particular office you have held I suppose it -to be in your power to point out some individuals who were promoted, and thus who have drawn the years pay, as above mentioned.

If you can favour me with this information, I shall be much oblige to you for it, as I may thereby have it in my power to call upon them as evidence to support the changes I have made under those hands - your (undecipherable) this (undecipherable) and favouring me with an answer as soon as can be done with convenience, will be remembered by